Video shows brazen purse snatching in Pompano Beach

April 5, 2012|By Rafael A. Olmeda, Sun Sentinel

POMPANO BEACH — A woman getting ready to shop at a Pompano Beach Walgreens last weekend became the victim of a purse snatching that was caught on the store's surveillance cameras, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.

The surveillance video shows the woman, whose name was not released, getting out of her car and walking toward the store's entrance while putting on her jacket. A champagne- or gold-colored Nissan passes in front of her, then backs up.

The video shows a heavyset man wearing a printed T-shirt and basketball shorts calmly step out of the vehicle from the passenger side and follow the woman toward the entrance, just out of the camera's view.

Suddenly, the man is seen running back to the car with the purse in his hand, with the woman futilely trying to catch up before the Nissan speeds off.

The store is located at 3573 N. Federal Highway, just south of Sample Road.

The Sheriff's Office said a similar incident took place Friday at Bru's Room, also in Pompano Beach. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Detective Victor Carrasquillo at 954-321-4270 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).